John e



Patented Sept. 20, I898.

J. E. LLOYD.

RAIL BOND.

(Application filed Nov.

(No Model.)

- same.

Nrrnn STATES ATENT Urrrcn.

JOHN E. LLOYD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAIL-BOND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,909, datedSeptember 20, 1898. Application filed November 12, 1896. Serial No.611,816. (No model.)

I To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. LLOYD, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Bonds,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention pertains to rail-bonds, and has particular reference tothe means for fastening the bond-wire to the rail.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficientfastening which may be easily applied.

I'Ieretofore in fastening the wire to the rail after the rail has oncebeen put in place it was necessary to dig up the earth on each side ofthe rail, so as to expose both sides thereof. The wire could then befastened by a screw and nut or by any other well-known means. Thecentral idea of my invention is to remedy this difficulty and toconstruct a bond-wire which may be firmly attached to the rail withoutexposing more than one side of the rail while the wire is being attachedand which when inserted cannot be withdrawn without destroyingthe bond.

The invention also comprehends other novel features, which will be morefully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Notwithstanding numerous ways may be devised for attaining the desiredresult in substantially the same manner as herein set forth, I haveillustrated in the accompanying drawings what I deem to be the preferredforms of my invention, it being understood, however, that I do not limitmyself to the forms herein shown.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional view accordance with myinvention, the wire being l substantially at a right angle to the railand not in fixed position. Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 and shows thewire drawn to its fixed position. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a wireattached at an oblique angle to the rail, the wire being loose. Fig. 4is a side view of the Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 3, but shows the wire infixed position. Fig. 6 illustrates a modified location of the groove.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a represents the rail towhich the wire spond.

is to be attached. A straight-bored hole a is drilled through the railat any desired point and at any desired angle. Although it ma commonlybe deemed best to drill the hole at a right angle to the rail,nevertheless I have found it advantageous to drill the hole at anyoblique angle, inasmuch as a greater contactsurface is thereby secured.This, however, is not a material feature with my invention, for I deemit to be within the spirit and scope of my invention to drill the hole,and thus place the wire, at any angle. A washer I), having an annularshoulder or plate I)", is adapted to be inserted in the hole a, theannular shoulder or plate resting against the side of the rail. Thisannular shoulder, it is obvious, may be dispensed with without departingfrom my invention and any other suitable means for preventing the washerfrom being drawn or pushed through the hole in the direction oppositethe wire be substituted therefor. Through Washer 19 isa tapered passage11 broadening toward the end of the washer opposite that havingtheannular shoulder. Preferably this passage has two or more tapers orbevels, as illustrated in the drawings-that is, the sides of the passagetaper outward from different points in the axis of the passage. The endof the bond-wire c is enlarged and swells outwardly to form a head, thelatter having bevels or tapers or being form ed to correspond with thetapering passage 2) and the enlargement being preferably ofslightly-larger diameter than the passage. Preferably the tapering ofthe end of the wire is so arranged that the outer taper (represented byc in the drawings) of the wire will fit the outer taper of the passage(represented by b in the drawings) just before the inner tapers of thewire 'and passage corre- This, however, is a matter of adj ustment andmay be varied to suit special construction.

In operation the washer surrounding the wire is inserted in the hole aand pushed or driven in until the shoulder Z9 rests against the side ofthe rail. Sufficient pressure is exerted against the washer to hold itin place, and at the same time the wire is'drawn'in. When this is done,the outer enlargement or taper of the wire spreads apart the end of thewasher, and the inner tapers of the wire and passage fit tightly againsteach other, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 5, and 6. This causes a swellingof the washer against the rail and in consequence a tight fasteningbetween the rail and wire. It will be found that the wire will not workloose by jarring or vibration, nor, in fact, from any cause short ofactual violence; but in order to positively insure the wire againstworking loose the metal of the washer and wire may be upset or hammeredtogether at the points of contact. A more convenient and effective way,however,

is shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6, where an annular teat or rim d is formedon washer b and an annular groove 6 is cut in wire 0. \Vhen the wire isin fixed position, as shown in Fig. 5, the metal of the washer may bepushed or pressed down to fill in the groove e, thereby effectuallyfixing the wire in the washer. The groove may, if desired, be so locatedas to be very near the end of the washer when the wire is in finalposition. This facilitates the filling of it with the metal of thewasher, but of course is not as strong as the former construction. Inorder to strengthen the fastening when the wire is to be placed at anangle to the rail, it will be found desirable to reinforce the washer byforming thereon a shoulder Z2 to rest against the rail, as illustratedin the drawings.

The material of which the washer and wire are made is immaterial so longas a good conductor of electricity is used; but I prefer to use somesoft metal, such as copper, in order to facilitate the upsetting of thesame, as before described. Likewise the angles of the tapering sides ofthe passage in the washer and on the wire may be varied at will.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the preciseconstruction herein shown and described, as it is obvious that thevarious parts may be reversed or some parts omitted or well-knownequivalents substituted therefor without departing from the spirit andwhat I consider to be the terms of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a rail-bond, thecombination with the rail and wire, of a flanged washer adapted tosurround the wire and be inserted in the rail from one side, and meansfor forming afiange on said washer on the opposite side of the rail bydrawing the wire into the washer, substantially as described.

2. In a rail-bond, the combination with the passage having a pluralityof tapers, said wire having a tapered or enlarged end to fit saidpassage, substantially as described.

4. In a rail-bond, the combination with the rail and wire, of a flangedwasher adapted to be inserted in the rail and provided with a taperedpassage having a plurality of tapers, said wire having a tapered end ofslightlylarger diameter than said passage, substantially as described.

5. In a rail-bond, the combination with the rail and wire, of a flangedwasher adapted to be inserted in the rail and provided with a taperedpassage having inner and outer tapers, said wire having a tapered orenlarged end to correspond with said passage in such manner that theouter tapers of said washer and wire will fit each other before theinner tapers fit, substantially as described.

6. In a rail-bond, the combination with the rail, of a flanged washerprovided with a passage tapering outward from the flange, said washerbeing adapted to be inserted in the rail, a Wire having a tapering endto fit said passage, and means for preventing said wire from being drawnbackward when once drawn into said passage, substantially as described.

7. In a rail-bond, the combination with the rail, of a washer providedwith a tapering passage and adapted to be inserted in the rail, a wirehaving a tapering end to fit'said passage, an annular rim upon saidwasher, and an annular groove in said wire, substantially as described.

8. In a rail-bond, the combination with the rail and wire, of a washeradapted to surround the wire and be inserted in the rail at an obliqueangle thereto, and a shoulder upon said washer opposite to said angleadapted to rest against the rail, substantially as described.v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. LLOYD.

WVitnesses:

O. V. EDWARDS, M. A. RYAN;

